Back in September I wrote how Europhysics News magazine marked the 15 year anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks by publishing ‘controlled demolition’ conspiracy theories – completely unchallenged.

This inevitably led to a whole host of online cranks and crackpots spreading the false idea that their conspiracy theories had finally been validated in a proper scientific journal. Snopes even had to create an article featuring some of my research into this.

When I let my frustration be known to the owner of the magazine, EDP Sciences, they released the following statement to me:

Although I find the excuse about ‘open discussion’ to be particularly weak (would they be keen to publish ‘open discussion’ on faith healers and moon landing hoaxes?) I at least took some satisfaction in the promise of a ‘counter article’ in the next issue.

Well, said issue has finally arrived, but where is the ‘counter-article’? Keep in mind, the claims of 9/11 truthers were afforded a six page feature article in the previous issue.

Instead of a ‘counter article’ as promised, we are given a few notes, hidden away in the ‘letters’ section. And some of this even includes more promotion of conspiracy theories from a ‘former NIST employee’.

The editors actually have the gall to note that ‘It is shocking that the published [previous] article is being used to support conspiracy theories related to the attacks on the WTC building’.

Shocking, is it? EDP sciences is shocked that when a reputable scientific publication such as theirs promotes conspiracy theories completely unchallenged, that some may use this endorsement as support for their conspiracy theories?

This is a pretty woeful response to a glaring error of judgement from EDP Sciences and Europhysics News.

Never forget that nearly 3,000 people died in the terror attacks of 11 September 2001. Also, never forget that EDP Sciences chose to mark the anniversary of these deaths by promoting conspiracy theories – completely unchallenged. For Shame.

Stephen Knight is host of The #GSPodcast. You can listen to The Godless Spellchecker Podcast here, and support it by becoming a patron here.